The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reproducing a recording medium on which data are recorded, such as a compact disk, a digital audio tape, an optical video disk or the like, and a data reproducing program recording medium and, more particularly, to control of the reproduction speed of the recording medium on which data are recorded.
In recent years, there are some recording mediums in which an audio signal or a video signal and data such as usual program or text data are mixed according to their standards. For example, there are, typically, a disk of MIX MODE which records data of a usual program or the like, that is data of the CD-ROM standard, on a first track, and records audio data of the CD-DA standard on second and subsequent tracks, and a disk of CD-EXTRA which performs recording in multiple session, records audio data of the CD-DA standard on a first session, and records data of a usual program or the like, that is data of the CD-ROM standard, on second and subsequent sessions. Further, data reproduction apparatuses for reproducing these recording mediums have also been widespread.
As a conventional example of the above-described data reproduction apparatus, xe2x80x9cDATA REPRODUCTION APPARATUS AND DATA REPRODUCTION METHODxe2x80x9d disclosed in Japanese Published Patent Application No. Hei. 7-7579 is raised.
The data reproduction apparatus as mentioned above reproduces a recording medium on which data are recorded, at a first reproduction speed, when it outputs reproduced data while sequentially converting them into a form of such as an audio signal or a video signal that can be outputted to the outside. On the other hand, the reproduction apparatus performs reproduction at a second reproduction speed that is higher than the first reproduction speed, when it temporarily stores reproduced data such as a usual program or the like in the data reproduction apparatus, processes the data as required after the reproduction is ended, and outputs the data to the outside.
In the case where the data reproduction apparatus outputs the reproduced data while sequentially converting them into a form that can be outputted to the outside, since a data recording speed is usually determined by the standard of a recording medium on which an audio signal or a video signal is recorded, generally reproduction is performed at a reproduction speed that is determined by the format of the recording medium as a first reproduction speed, or at a reproduction speed that is somewhat higher than the reproduction speed determined by the format of the recording medium as a first reproduction speed, and the read data are temporarily stored in a buffer memory in the data reproduction apparatus, and then the stored data are sequentially converted into a form of such as an audio signal or a video signal that can be outputted to the outside.
On the other hand, in the case where the data reproduction apparatus temporarily stores the reproduced data in the apparatus, processes the data as required after the reproduction is ended, and then outputs the data to the outside, generally reproduction is performed at a maximum reproduction speed the data reproduction apparatus can realize as a second reproduction speed, and data are read at a high speed and stored in the data reproduction apparatus.
However, data reproduction apparatuses have been on the trail of speedup in recent years and, accordingly, the rotation speeds of disks such as CD-ROM have also increased considerably. As the result, a difference in speeds, between the first reproduction speed in the case where an audio signal or a video signal is sequentially reproduced, and the second reproduction speed in the case where data are temporarily stored in the data reproduction apparatus, has been increasing considerably.
Therefore, data to be reproduced at the first reproduction speed, such as audio data, and data to be reproduced at the second reproduction speed, such as usual program data, are mixed in the recording medium, and when there is a need to switch the reproduction speed, a rapid change in the reproduction speed is required, resulting in a heat generation and an increase in power consumption as well as an increase in the time taken to reproduce the audio data.
Further, even in the recording medium on which the data to be reproduced at the first reproduction speed and the data to be reproduced at the second reproduction speed are mixedly recorded, there are cases as follows: a case where the data to be reproduced at the first reproduction speed are not reproduced after the data to be reproduced at the second reproduction speed are read, and a case where the frequency of reproduction of the data to be reproduced at the first reproduction speed is very low. There are conversely a case where the data to be reproduced at the second reproduction speed are not read after the data to be reproduced at the first reproduction speed are reproduced, and a case where the frequency of reproduction of the data to be reproduced at the second reproduction speed is very low. There has been no data reproduction apparatus which controls the reproduction speed of a disk according to the frequency of the reproduction of data recorded on the recording medium.
The present invention is made to solve the above-mentioned problems and has for its object to provide a data reproduction apparatus, a data reproduction method, and a recording medium, which suppress power consumption and heat generation of a data reproducing device according to the data reproduction frequency to enhance the total performance of a drive.
In order to solve the above-described problems, a data reproduction apparatus comprises: a reproduction means for reproducing a recording medium on which data are recorded, and outputting the data; at least one output means for outputting input data while sequentially converting the input data into a form of such as an audio signal or a video signal that can be outputted to the outside; a processing means for temporarily storing the data reproduced by the reproduction means, and processing the data as required after the reproduction of the recording medium is ended; an output destination judging means for judging whether the data to be reproduced by the reproduction means should be outputted to the output means or the processing means; and a reproduction speed control means for controlling the reproduction means so as to reproduce the recording medium at a first reproduction speed when the output destination judging means judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the output means, controlling the reproduction means so as to reproduce the recording medium at a second reproduction speed higher than the first reproduction speed when the output destination judging means judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing means except after the reproduction has been performed at the first reproduction speed, and controlling the reproduction means so as to reproduce the recording medium at a third reproduction speed that is higher than the first reproduction speed and lower than the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging means judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing means after the reproduction has been performed at the first reproduction speed.
According to the present invention, the reproduction speed is switched between the lowest reproduction speed and the third reproduction speed which is higher than the lowest speed and lower than the highest speed, instead of switching the reproduction speed between the lowest reproduction speed and the highest reproduction speed, whereby power consumption of the data reproduction apparatus and heat generation are reduced, and the time required for switching the reproduction speed is reduced.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the third reproduction speed is approximately equal to the first reproduction speed.
According to the present invention, power consumption, heat generation, and the time required for speed switching can be further reduced. Particularly, in the case where data to be reproduced at the lowest speed are reproduced at the somewhat higher speed, a reduction in the reproduction speed when reading data to be reproduced at the highest speed is small.
According to the present invention, the data reproduction apparatus further comprises: a recording medium moving means for locating the recording medium in a reproducible state in the reproduction apparatus, and ejecting the recording medium from the reproduction apparatus; and a recording medium exchange detecting means for detecting that the recording medium is ejected and relocated by the recording medium moving means; wherein the reproduction speed control means controls the reproduction means so as to reproduce the recording medium at the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging means judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing means after the recording medium exchange detecting means detects exchange of the recording medium.
According to the present invention, in the case where data to be reproduced at the highest speed are reproduced first after the disk is changed, the reproduction speed can be the highest, whereby the performance of the drive is enhanced. Particularly, when only data to be reproduced at the highest speed are reproduced after disk exchange, reproduction of the disk can always be performed at the highest speed.
According to the present invention, the data reproduction apparatus further comprises: a timer unit for outputting a notification signal which notifies that the reproduction means has not outputted the reproduced data to the output means and the processing means for a predetermined period of time; wherein the reproduction speed control means controls the reproduction means so as to reproduce the recording medium at a fourth reproduction speed that is higher than the third reproduction speed and lower than the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging means judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing means after the notification signal outputted from the timer unit is received.
According to the present invention, when it is judged that the reproduction frequency of data to be reproduced at a low reproduction speed is low, data to be reproduced at a high reproduction speed, which follow the data to be reproduced at the low reproduction speed, are reproduced at a higher speed, whereby the performance of the drive is enhanced.
According to the present invention, the data reproduction apparatus further comprises: a timer unit for outputting a notification signal which notifies that the reproduction means has not outputted the reproduced data to the output means and the processing means for a predetermined period of time; wherein the reproduction speed control means controls the reproduction means so as to reproduce the recording medium at a fourth reproduction speed that is higher than the third reproduction speed and lower than the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging means judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing means after the notification signal outputted from the timer unit is received.
According to the present invention, after it is judged that reproduction has not been performed for a predetermined period of time, data to be reproduced at the highest reproduction speed are reproduced at a high speed, whereby the performance of the drive is enhanced.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the fourth reproduction speed is approximately equal to the second reproduction speed.
According to the present invention, the performance of the drive can be further enhanced. Particularly, in the case where data to be reproduced at the lowest speed are hardly reproduced, switching of the reproduction speed, that causes an increase in power consumption and heat generation, is hardly performed.
According to the present invention, in the data reproduction apparatus, on a disk, data are recorded at a constant angular velocity on tracks formed concentrically or spirally, and the reproduction speed is switched by changing the disk rotation speed.
According to the present invention, the reproduction speed can be controlled.
According to the present invention, in the data reproducing device, on a disk, data are recorded at a constant linear velocity on tracks formed concentrically or spirally, and the reproduction speed is switched by changing the reproduction linear speed or the disk rotation speed.
According to the present invention, the reproduction speed can be controlled.
According to the present invention, a data reproduction method comprises: a reproducing step of reproducing a recording medium on which data are recorded, and outputting the data; at least one output step of outputting input data while sequentially converting the input data into a form of such as an audio signal or a video signal that can be outputted to the outside; a processing step of temporarily storing the data reproduced in the reproduction step, and processing the data as required after the reproduction of the recording medium is ended; an output destination judging step of judging whether the data to be reproduced in the reproduction step should be outputted to the output step or the processing step; and a reproduction speed control step of controlling the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at a first reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the output step, controlling the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at a second reproduction speed higher than the first reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing step except after the reproduction has been performed at the first reproduction speed, and controlling the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at a third reproduction speed that is higher than the first reproduction speed and lower than the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing step after the reproduction has been performed at the first reproduction speed.
According to the present invention, the reproduction speed is switched between the lowest reproduction speed and the third reproduction speed which is higher than the lowest speed and lower than the highest speed, instead of switching the reproduction speed between the lowest reproduction speed and the highest reproduction speed, whereby power consumption of the data reproduction apparatus and heat generation are reduced, and the time required for switching the reproduction speed is reduced.
According to the present invention, the data reproduction method further comprises: a recording medium moving step of locating the recording medium in a reproducible state in a reproduction apparatus, and ejecting the recording medium from the reproduction apparatus; and a recording medium exchange detecting step of detecting that the recording medium is ejected and relocated in the recording medium moving step; wherein the reproduction speed control step controls the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing step after the recording medium exchange detecting step detects exchange of the recording medium.
According to the present invention, in the case where data to be reproduced at the highest speed are reproduced first after the disk is changed, the reproduction speed can be the highest, whereby the performance of the drive is enhanced. Particularly, when only data to be reproduced at the highest speed are reproduced after disk exchange, reproduction of the disk can always be performed at the highest speed.
According to the present invention, the data reproduction method further comprises: a timer unit for outputting a notification signal which notifies that the reproduction step has not outputted the reproduced data to the output step and the processing step for a predetermined period of time; wherein the reproduction speed control step controls the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at a fourth reproduction speed that is higher than the third reproduction speed and lower than the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing step after the notification signal outputted from the timer unit is received.
According to the present invention, when it is judged that the reproduction frequency of data to be reproduced at a low reproduction speed is low, data to be reproduced at a high reproduction speed, which follow the data to be reproduced at the low reproduction speed, are reproduced at a higher speed, whereby the performance of the drive is enhanced.
According to the present invention, the data reproduction method further comprises: a timer unit for outputting a notification signal which notifies that the reproduction step has not outputted the reproduced data to the output step and the processing step for a predetermined period of time; wherein the reproduction speed control step controls the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at a fourth reproduction speed that is higher than the third reproduction speed and lower than the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing step after the notification signal outputted from the timer unit is received.
According to the present invention, after it is judged that reproduction has not been performed for a predetermined period of time, data to be reproduced at the highest reproduction speed are reproduced at a high speed, whereby the performance of the drive is enhanced.
According to the present invention, in a recording medium containing a program for executing a data reproduction method, the program comprises: a reproducing step of reproducing a recording medium on which data are recorded, and outputting the data; at least one output step of outputting input data while sequentially converting the input data into a form of such as an audio signal or a video signal that can be outputted to the outside; a processing step of temporarily storing the data reproduced in the reproduction step, and processing the data as required after the reproduction of the recording medium is ended; an output destination judging step of judging whether the data to be reproduced in the reproduction step should be outputted to the output step or the processing step; and a reproduction speed control step of controlling the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at a first reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the output step, controlling the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at a second reproduction speed higher than the first reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing step except after the reproduction has been performed at the first reproduction speed, and controlling the reproduction step so as to reproduce the recording medium at a third reproduction speed that is higher than the first reproduction speed and lower than the second reproduction speed when the output destination judging step judges that the data in the recording medium are to be outputted to the processing step after the reproduction has been performed at the first reproduction speed.
According to the present invention, the reproduction speed is switched between the lowest reproduction speed and the third reproduction speed which is higher than the lowest speed and lower than the highest speed, instead of switching the reproduction speed between the lowest reproduction speed and the highest reproduction speed, whereby power consumption of the data reproduction apparatus and heat generation are reduced, and the time required for switching the reproduction speed is reduced.